Pop icon Dua Lipa has long been known for chart-topping hits like Levitating, Don’t Start Now, and Houdini. But away from the spotlight, she’s quietly built another identity,that of an avid reader and literary advocate.
Now, the singer has taken that passion a step further by opening the Manifesto Library, a permanent collection of 100 banned, censored, and challenged books inside Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal, widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores. The project is the latest expansion of her Service95 Book Club, transforming what began as an online reading community into a physical space dedicated to the freedom to read.
The library was inaugurated during Porto’s BABELL – City of Books literary festival and is designed around four central themes: Power, Control, Voice, and Memory. The collection includes works that have faced bans or censorship because they discuss race, sexuality, gender, LGBTQIA+ identities, authoritarianism, war, and political resistance. Among the featured authors are Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, George Orwell, Olga Tokarczuk, and many others.
Speaking about the initiative, Dua Lipa said:
“This library is a shrine to books that have disappeared, to authors whose courage unmasks structures of power and control, and to readers who refuse to be told what book they are allowed to read… Because sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is read a book and then talk about it.”
Her words arrive at a time when book bans and censorship have become increasingly common across different parts of the world. Schools, libraries, and governments have continued to challenge or remove books dealing with sensitive social and political issues, making debates around intellectual freedom more relevant than ever. The Manifesto Library is, therefore, more than just a bookshelf. It is a statement about protecting diverse voices and encouraging critical thinking.
For many fans, the initiative also reinforces a side of Dua Lipa that often goes unnoticed. Through Service95, she has interviewed celebrated authors, recommended literature from across the globe, and championed stories that encourage readers to look beyond their own experiences. The new library serves as a permanent extension of that vision, inviting visitors from around the world to discover books that have challenged authority and sparked important conversations.
In an era dominated by endless scrolling and shrinking attention spans, Dua Lipa is making a different kind of cultural statement.
Instead of asking people to spend more time online, she’s inviting them to pick up a book.
And perhaps that’s the most radical message of all.
